Chance wheel with selectively disabled magnetic indexing means



April 2 1966 G. J. PAWELKA ETAL 3,248,116

CHANCE WHEEL WITH SELECTIVELY DISABLED MAGNETIC INDEXING MEANS Filed Feb. 21, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 T 1 3' Z P if if Ill I! "l y 3 /fl 5/ 4? H h M INVENTORS w'rm J 21/1 621 BY gaze/m6. 011

ATTORN Y5 April 1966 a. J. PAWELKA. ETAL 3,248,116

CHANCE WHEEL WITH SELECTIVELY DISABLED MAGNETIC INDEXING MEANS Filed Feb. 21, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mv IAgORS 4/574 54 01 I BY A? zae/arfl P0 L 44W M5 ATTORNEXf CHANCE WHEEL WITH SELECTIVELY DISABLED MAGNETIC INDEXING MEANS Gustav J. Pawelka, Sunset Ave., Glenwood Landing,

N.Y., and Frederick H. Kroll, 72 Wood Hollow Lane,

New Rochelle, N.Y.

Filed Feb. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 346,503 8 Claims. (Cl. 273-142) The present invention relates generally to improvements in selection apparatus, and it relates in particular to an improved device for effecting the random selection of successive items from a set thereof.

Many procedures, systems and processes require for their satisfactory practice the completely random selection of a plurality of different items from a group thereof. Examples of such procedures are experimental and clinical investigations, statistical studies, various games such as bingo and lotto and the like. Any deviation from or interference with the randomness of the choice of items adversely affects the associated system and destroys the value of the results thereof. While many types of devices and apparatus have been provided and proposed and in numerous applications have been highly useful, they possess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages for other applications. Many of these devices provide either too few or too many choices, permit the conscious or unconscious manipulation with the randomness of the choice, are awkward to operate, and otherwise leave much to :be desired.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved selection apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved device for effecting the random selection of items from a group thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved mechanism for efiecting the random successive selection of items from a group thereof wherein the group is successively depleted by the respective selected item.

A further'object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the above nature characterized by its simplicity, ruggedness, ease of operation and reliability.

The above and other objects of the present invention 7 will become apparent from a reading of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein FIGURE 1 is .a fragmentary front elevational view, partly in section, of one form of apparatus constructed according to and embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view, partially in section, illustrating the indexing member in its advanced position;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view takenalong line 4 4 in FIGURE 1. g

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of a random selection apparatus comprising a magnetic indexing member, a wheel carrying a plurality of circumferentially spaced indicia, means supporting said wheel for rotation about the axis thereof, and a plurality of index elements of magnetic material mounted on said wheel and circumferentially spaced along a circular path coaxial with said wheel and adjacent said indexing mem- :ber.

According to a preferred form of the present apparatus,

1 there is provided a base having an upright post to which is journalled a horizontal shaft on which the wheel in turn is rotatable, the shaft having a knob aflixed thereto.

, United States -Patent O verse cross-section having regularly circumferentially spaced radial bores formed therein. The index elements are in the form of pins slidably registering with the bores, each of the pins having a pair of axially spaced peripheral grooves formed therein which alternatively releasably engage a detent formed on the surface of the respective bore. The indexing member is mounted on one end of a lever pivoted to the base, the other end of the lever carrying a finger piece, the lever being spring-urged to a retracted position. Indicia are carried on the front face of the wheel rim and a window member registers with said front face and is adapted to frame an aligned indicia.

Referring now to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved apparatus which includes a mount member 11 and a wheel 12.

Mount member 11 is preferably integrally formed of a synthetic organic plastic material, a metal or other suitable material and includes a horizontal rectangular base plate 13. Depending from the front and side edges of base plate 13 are a forwardly, downwardly inclined front wall 14 and outwardly downwardly inclined side walls 16. Also depending from base plate 13, intermediate its front and rear edges, is a transverse panel 17.

A hollow upright post 18 is mounted atop the rear sec tion of base plate 13 intermediate the side edges thereof. Post 18 includes a vertical front wall 19 disposed shortly rearwardly of panel 17, side walls 20 extending rearwardly from the side edges of the front wall 19 and terminating at the vertical plane of the rear edge of base plate 13, and a top wall 21 joining the upper edges of walls 19 and 20. A thick horizontal panel 22 projects rearwardly from front wall 1-9 at a 'levelshortly below top wall 21 and joins the side walls 20. Panel 22 has a medially disposed transverse bore 22a formed therethrough from the rear to the front face thereof and a shaft 23, locked therein, freely rotatably registers with said bore and projects forwardly and rearwardly thereof. Engaging the trailing end of shaft 23 and abutting the rear face of panel 22 is a washer '24 which is retained in position by ears 26 formed on the trailing end of shaft 23, as one convenient means of locking the shaft in the bore.

Wheel 12 is rotatably mounted on the leading section of shaft 23, and is separated from post wall 19 by a spacer washer 27 engaging shaft 23 between wheel 12 and post wall 19. Wheel 12 is preferably formed of a synthetic organic plastic material and includes a central hub 28 having an axial bore formed therein registering with shaft 23. A disc shaped web .29 extends from hub 28 and terminates in the forwardly directed integrally formed peripheral rim 30 of enlarged rectangular transverse cross-section. Formed in rim 30, between the front and rear faces thereof, is a plurality of regularly circumferentially spaced radial bores 32 of circular transverse cross-section extending completely through the rim 30. A longitudinally offset inwardly directed boss 33 is formed on the inner face of each bore 32, and functions as a releasable locking detent. 'A knob 34 is mounted on the The wheel comprises a peripheral rim of increased transleading free end of shaft 23 and is afiixed thereto by a lock screw 36 engaging a tapped radial bore formed in the knob and.bearing on shaft 23, the rear face of knob 34 confronting the front face of hub 28.

An index element-defining pin 37 is associated with each rim bore 32 and is formed of a magnetic material, such as steel. Each pin 37 includes a cylindrical shank 38 longer than and slidably registering with a corresponding bore '32 and-terminating at its inner end with an enlarged head-39 which limits the radial outward movement of the index pin 37. A pair of axially spaced peripheral inner and outer grooves 40 and 41 respectively is formed in pin shank 38, the grooves being adapted alternately to engage a corresponding detent 33 thereby releasably to lock an index pin 37 in its retracted position when an outer groove 41 is engaged, as illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, or in its advanced position when an inner groove 4%) is engaged, as illustrated in the lower part of FIGURE 2 of the drawing. In the retracted position of index pin 37, the 'outer free end thereof is substantially in the plane of peripheral surface of rim 30 and in the advanced position of an index pin 37, the shank 38 projects a predetermined distance beyond the peripheral surface of rim 38.

An indexing lever 42 is swingably mounted on the front face of base panel 17 by means of a pivot pin 43 engaging the lever 42 between the ends thereof. Lever 42 includes angularly related oppositely directed arms 44 and 46, arm 44 terminating in a platform section 47 carrying an upwardly directed indexing member 48 which is a permanent magnet, preferably formed of Alnico, a ceramic magnet or other suitable material. Indexing member 48 is of cylindrical configuration, having a lower section tightly engaging a bore in platform 47 and an upper section slidably registering with an opening 49 formed on the base plate 13. Opening 49 is in vertical axial alignment with an index pin 33 supported lowermost by the wheel 12. The upper end 56 of the indexing member '48 is rounded.

Arm 46 carries at its free end a finger piece-defining upwardly directed arm 51 slidably registering with an opening 2 formed in the base plate 13 and terminating in a button 53 disposed above the base plate. Lever 42 is resiliently urged counterclockwise, to a retracted position as viewedin FIGURE -'1 of the drawing, by means of a helical tension spring 54 connecting a free section of the arm 44 to a point on the panel 17 below the arm 44. The downward movement of the arm 44 is restricted by an abutment or stop pin 56 mounted on and projecting forwardly of panel 17 and lying below and in the path of arm 44. When lever 42 is in its fully retracted position, as limited by pin .56, indexing member 48 is substantially vertical and the top end thereof is immediately below and approximately in axial alignment with the lowermost index pin 38 when the latter is in its advanced position. When indexing lever 42 isin its advanced position, aseft'ected by the full depression of the button 53, as illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawing, indexing member 48 is in its fully raised, advanced position with its top end 50 in close proximity with the peripheral face of the wheel rim 30, whereby an index pin 37 engaged by the raised indexing member is raised to its retracted position with the outer groove 41 therein engaging a corresponding detent 33.

The front face 57 of the wheel rim 30 has imprinted thereon. or otherwise carries numbers or other indicia 58, an indicium 58 registering and associated with each index pin 37. Indicia 59 are also imprinted on or otherwise carried by the front face of the wheel web =29 adjacent rim -30 and in radial alignment with corresponding indicia 58.

-Mounted on and directed upwardly-from the base plate 13 is a frame member 60. [Frame 60 is disposed just forwardly of rim 30, the opening 49 and indexing member 48 and has a rectangular window 61 formed therein which is coextensive with a pair of indicia 58 and 59 and frames said pair of indicia when a corresponding index pin 37 is in registry with the indexing member 48-.

Considering now the operation of the apparatus described above, the index pins 37 are shifted to their advance positions by pressing on the heads '39 thereof. The wheel 12 is then turned and allowed to freely rotate until it comes to rest. -By reason of the magnetic indexing member 48 being directed toward the path of the advanced pins 37 and in close proximity thereto, the rest position of the wheel '12 will be with an index .pin 37 in axial alignment with the indexing member 48, and it is urged to such position by the magnetic field produced by the indexing member -48. The thus randomly selected 4.- number is read through the frame window 61 and thereafter the button 53 is depressed to advance'the indexing lever 42 and raise the indexing member 48 which in turn bears on the registering index pin '37 to raise the same to its retracted position. The raised index pin is releasably retained in the raised-position by the corresponding detent 33 engaging the groove 41, and the head 39 of the raised pin masks the corresponding web carried indicium 59. The button 53 is released and the lever 42 and indexing member 48 are spring returned to their retracted positions and the above sequence repeated to effect the next random selection.

The wheel will not normally come to rest in registry with previously raised index pins 37 since the magnetic attraction thereof by the indexing member is small and the wheel tends to revolve to the next index pin 37 which is in its advanced position. If a large number of consecutive index pins 37 are in their retracted position, it is possible that the wheel may come to rest with the indexing member 48 in the area of the retracted index pin. In such case, the knob 34, which is not coupled to the wheel 12, is

slowly turned to effect a slow free turning of the wheel 12 by reason of the frictional drag of the rotated shaft 23 on the surface of the bore of the hub 28. The wheel12 will thus advance to a rest position with an advanced index pin 37 in registry with the indexing member 48 and will maintain this position in spite of the continued rotation of the knob 34. It should be noted that the action of the wheel 12 is usually self balancing since the retracted index pins 37 efiect corresponding radially inward shifts in weight so that the likelihood of the wheel coming to rest with an advanced index pin 37 in registry with the indexing member 48 is greatly increased.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions.

wheel for rotation about the axis thereof, a plurality of I circumferentially spaced index elements of magnetic mate-.

rial mounted on said wheel and individually selectively movable between advanced and retracted positions in and out of registry with a circular path coaxial with said wheel and adjacent said indexing member, and means independ-' ent of said indexing member for releasably retaining said index elements in their respective retracted and advanced positions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, including means for selectively moving individual of said index elements to their retracted positions.

3. A game apparatus comprising a wheel carrying a plurality of circumferentially spaced indicia, means supporting said wheel for rotation about the axis thereof, a plurality of circumferentially spaced index elements of magnetic material mounted on said wheel and individually.selectively movable between advanced and retracted positions in and out of registry with a circular path coaxial with said wheel, a magnetic indexing member disposed adjacent said circular path and movable between an advanced position in engagement with a registering index element to urge said index element to a retracted position and a retracted position, and means independent of said indexing member for releasably retaining said index elements in their respective retracted and advanced positions.

4. A game apparatus comprising a wheel mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis and including a peripheral.

rim and carrying circumferentially spaced indicia, said rim having a plurality of regularly circumferentially spaced radial bores formed therein, an axially elongated index element of magnetic material registering with each bore and slidable therein between an advanced and a retracted position,'means releasably locking each of said index elements alternatively in said advanced and retracted positions, a magnetic indexing member, and means supporting said indexing member for radial movement to a retracted position proximate to and radially spaced from the path of said index elements when in their advanced positions and to an advanced position in the direction of retraction of a registering index element.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of said indexing elements has a pair of axially spaced recesses formed therein and said respective locking means comprises a detent formed-in the face of a corresponding bore and engaging an alternative one of said recesses.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said indexing member support means comprises a lever pivotally mounted between the ends thereof, said indexing member being located adjacent one end of said lever and the other end of said lever being provided with a finger piece, and spring means resiliently urging said lever to a retracted position.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said indexing member is disposed outside said rim and radially directed toward the axis thereof and said index elements are radially inwardly movable toward their retracted positions and radially outwardly movable toward their advanced positions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,671,665 3/ 1954' Rothgery 273-142 3,053,538 10/1962 Roca 273l39 FOREIGN PATENTS 400,485 10/ 1933 Great Britain. 406,007 2/1934 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A RANDOM SELECTION APPARATUS COMPRISING A MAGNETIC INDEXING MEMBER, A WHEEL CARRYING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED INDICIA, MEANS SUPORTING SAID WHEEL FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS THEREOF, A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED INDEX ELEMENTS OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL MOUNTED ON SAID WHEEL AND INDIVIDUALLY SELECTIVELY MOVABLE BETWEEN ADVANCED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS IN AND OUT OF REGISTRY WITH A CIRCULAR PATH COAXIAL WITH SAID WHEEL AND ADJACENT SAID INDEXING MEMBER, AND MEANS INDEPEND- 